Clergy from left, The Rev. Mary Ann Hill, Rector, Trinity on the Hill, Pastor Nicolé Ferry, Deacon Cynthia Biddlecomb, retired; Associate Priest Lynn Finnegan and Pastor Deb Church. Photo by Nate Limback/ladailypost.com
By Pastor Nicolé Raddu Ferry
Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church
“So it looks like you have a little somethin’, somethin’ on your forehead.” Did anyone say that to you this week?
If you answered yes, you probably are part of a faith community where the “imposition of ashes” is shared on Ash Wednesday. If you answered no, or if you were the person asking about that cross on your friends’ forehead you may be facing that “churchy language” that Pastor Lynn Finnegan wrote about in the Vocabulary of Faith a couple of weeks ago.
Ash Wednesday, which lands on Valentines’ Day this year, is the beginning of Lent that marks the forty days (Sundays are not included) leading up to Jesus’ execution and surprising return to life three days later. It is a practice that began during the fourth century as a way to prepare Christians for the holiest (and hardest) days of our faith story.
During this time we practice intentional prayer (“church” word for communication with God and for others), fasting (another “church” word for giving up something to help us remember the focus of this season – sacrifice and hunger for God), and almsgiving (yet another “church” word for service to others, especially those in need).
In this journey of 40 (+7) days we live into the words from Psalm 103: 8-14 remembering who God is and who we are:
“The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far he removes our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion for his children,
so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.
For he knows how we were made;
he remembers that we are dust.”
That little somethin’, somethin’ on our foreheads helps us remember that truly, we are dust and to dust we all will one day return. AND…in between there are amazing ways we can live out the “breath” we have in our time on earth to help others: to address places where there is no justice, to share kind words that can replace blame, shame and division, where we combine our resources to address needs where there is food insecurity and housing insecurity, and to see those who feel the world does not even know they exist.
If you would like to join a Lent gathering on Thursday nights at The United Church on Canyon Road to explore this season of ashes: Please join us for 5 consecutive Thursdays from 6-8 p.m. beginning on February 22nd to share a meal, to explore our faith in classes and then to end the night with prayer as a community. May we be surprised with our gatherings, with our Lent season, and reflect: “Did you not know what the Holy One can do with dust?” –Rev. Jan Richarson
Editor’s note: ‘All Shall Be Well’ is a column written by local women clergy including ELCA Deacon Cynthia Biddlecomb, M.Div., retired (czoebidd@gmail.com); Pastor Nicolé Ferry, Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church (pastornicole@bethluth.com); Associate Priest Lynn Finnegan, The Episcopal Church of the Holy Faith, Santa Fe (rev.lynn@holyfaithchurchsf.org); Pastor Deb Church, White Rock Presbyterian Church (pastor@wrpchurch.com) and The Rev. Mary Ann Hill, Rector, Trinity on the Hill Episcopal Church (momaryannhill@gmail.com).